A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

But let us come closer to the matter in hand: This Text speaketh of Doctrinal discoveries of grace, of the abuse of ⟨p. 213⟩the Gospel, and the principles thereof: now 'twere an hard task to give you an account of all the paralogisms and corrupt inferences, which men draw from the Gospel, there is no Doctrine, but one way or another, a carnal heart is apt to abuse it: the most usual abuses are these.

1. The Doctrine of Election is abused, men say they may live as they list: If God hath elected them, they shall be saved, and so allow themselves in their careless neglect of the means of salvation be not deceived: God that decreeth▪ the end, decreeth the means: God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the Image of his Son, Rom. 8. 29. in grace here as well as in glory hereafter.

2. The Doctrine of the Attribute's of Gods mercy and long suffering. Men will say they are sinners and so are others but God is merciful, and so poor ignorant drunkards, Adulterers and swearers as they are, they dye with this principle in their mouths, God is merciful, but be not deceived, neither Fornicators nor Adulterers, &c. shall enter into the Kingdom of God: 1 Cor. 6. 9. So Eph. 5. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God. Both these places show there were divers which had such deceitful thoughts, as if living and dying drunkards, Adulterers, &c. they should go to Heaven: others abuse the long suffering of God to their delaying and putting off their repentance, as if after a long vicious life provided they could be devote at the last gasp, they should at length be saved, and of a sudden from Swine become Saints: as many delayed their Baptism heretofore, because they would have longer time to sin in, and to walk after their own lusts, and when they were warned of their licentious course; their answer was, Tunc demum a peccatis destam cum baptizatus ero; When I am baptized I will live otherwise: Thou fool, besides the uncertainty of thy having time or grace to repent; this is a manifest abuse of Gods patience, and will turn to thy greater ruin,